Altered white matter connectivity in children with congenital heart disease with single ventricle physiology.

Children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) have seen a dramatic decrease in mortality thanks to surgical innovations. However, there are numerous risk factors associated with CHD that can disrupt neurodevelopment. Recent studies have found that psychological deficits and structural brain abnormalities persist into adulthood.

Improving Access to Diagnostic Assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorder Using an Arena Model.

Objective: To improve access to diagnostic evaluations for children younger than 3 years with concerns for possible autism spectrum disorder.

Methods: A multidisciplinary "arena model" for children younger than 3 years was developed, tested, and implemented over an approximately 2-year period. Arena assessment teams comprised a developmental behavioral pediatrician (DBP), psychologist, and speech language pathologist (SLP).

Transcriptional analysis of the MrpJ network: modulation of diverse virulence-associated genes and direct regulation of mrp fimbrial and flhDC flagellar operons in Proteus mirabilis.

The enteric bacterium Proteus mirabilis is associated with a significant number of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs). Strict regulation of the antagonistic processes of adhesion and motility, mediated by fimbriae and flagella, respectively, is essential for disease progression. Previously, the transcriptional regulator MrpJ, which is encoded by the mrp fimbrial operon, has been shown to repress both swimming and swarming motility.

Characterization of 17 chaperone-usher fimbriae encoded by Proteus mirabilis reveals strong conservation.

Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative enteric bacterium that causes complicated urinary tract infections, particularly in patients with indwelling catheters. Sequencing of clinical isolate P. mirabilis HI4320 revealed the presence of 17 predicted chaperone-usher fimbrial operons.

Update on environmental risk factors for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurobehavioral disorder affecting 5% to 10% of children. Although considered to be a highly familial disorder, ADHD heritability estimates of 60% to 80% highlight the considerable role that environmental factors may still play in disorder susceptibility. Proposed ADHD environmental risk factors include prenatal substance exposures, heavy metal and chemical exposures, nutritional factors, and lifestyle/psychosocial factors.